Wickford's First Policeman.
Pc Mark Butcher
Essex Police was formed in 1840. At first Wickford didn’t warrant its own officer; however by the 1850s one was needed and Pc 99 Mark Butcher served between February 1854 and December 1884.
Unfortunately we have no complete record of service for Mark Butcher but we do have the following information:
Date of birth: 1827
Place of birth: Gosfield
Occupation:
Date of death: 1914-02-20
Reason left force: Superannuated 2/6d per day.
Comments: 1861 Census: Wickford. Wife and daughter. 1891 Census: Wickford. Retired living with wife. Buried in Wickford Churchyard.
It’s believed that on his retirement from Essex Police he opened a sweet shop in the town.
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It’s the second house on Jersey Gardens not the first. Number 4. I know because I live there.
I believe that the first Police Station was in Jersey Gardens, first house in past the car park of the offices on the right hand side. The sign above has disappeared now.
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